And although money can't buy you love, the £5 John Lennon coin is now available from the Royal Mint - priced at £44.99.

The Beatles singer, whose hits include Penny Lane, easily won the public vote for the next "Great Briton" to be put on a coin, beating a line-up of historical figures including Jane Austen and John Logie Baird.

He now joins luminaries of the past including William Shakespeare, Sir Winston Churchill, Charles Darwin and Florence Nightingale in the series.

In what would have been his 70th year, Lennon fans used the social networking groups and Twitter to ensure their man came out on top. In total 27,874 people (92 per cent) nominated the singer to take his place in monetary history.

Lennon's 60s image and trademark round glasses are captured on the silver £5 Alderney coin, a maximum of 5,000 of which will be produced.

And a one-off 24 carat gold version of the coin is to be presented to the John Lennon Estate.